About

Thank you for visiting our Kickstarter page for Vickrey.

Vickrey is the auction game to end all auction games and is for 3 to 8 players, for ages 13 and over and it takes about 90 minutes to play.

It is subtitled 'The Comic Auctions' because the game is comic. There are comics to be bid on in the game and a comic book look and feel. You will laugh an immense amount as other mechanics and incidents occur during the game.

Your support through Kickstarter will help us make the minimum of 1000 units needed to manufacture at Trefl. We can of course make more.

Trefl have a long history of playing card manufacture and the main components of the game are cards. The cards will be produced out of 320 gram paper with a linen finish.

We have all the art work completed. We have an award winning design team in place in Naked Marketing. They will conduct the final technical designs and transactions with Trefl.

You will be helping us to give that final instruction to produce the game.

We are offering our Kickstarter supporters proof that they have one of the original 1st Edition Games.

The history of the game development can be fully explored at www.quirkative.com but it all came out of the inventor studying auction techniques at Ashridge Business School in 2003. He wanted to design a game that helped train colleagues in the brewery trade about other techniques than just the 'Forward Auction'. As a game player this seemed a natural way to learn, whilst having fun.

The game employs six auction techniques during the main part of the play.

These are Forward, Reverse, Rotation, Timed, Sealed and Vickrey.

The players bid on lots of either one, two or three items depending on which auction house they are at. These lots are either open or blind. There are seven different types of item and four different conditions.

This might sound complicated but the 84 cards of a Vickrey deck have been carefully put together as a mechanic to encourage the right amount of bidding frenzy as players attempt to win the game.

During a standard game of 90 minutes you will experience many auctions via a range of techniques.

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Please note that the cards shown in the video above are NOT the final design. They can be seen below. Each will have unique images within the seven categories.

Above we see the backs of the Vickrey deck, Incident Card and the final design of a Gem condition Stamp card. Above in a 'Set of 4 Stamps' we see how images from ThinkStock enable each card to be different.

Players are collecting 7 categories of collectibles in the deck that comes with the game.

Stamps, Coins, Comics, Model Cars, Books, Albums and Matchboxes.

All the cards have different images on them to enhance the depth of the game and a unique feel to each card. Some have a condition attached as well, either Gem, Mint or Fine which makes them more desirable to purchase as they can form sets based on condition.

N.B. All the cards have now been designed by Naked Marketing as in the Gem Stamp. Above we see the amateur concept by the game inventor to illustrate sets you can collect. That amateur design is also in the video.

As players travel round the city depicted on the board together they take turns at driving the van. This brings in an element of risk and reward. It sometimes means they have to conduct the auctions. It sometimes means they can make strategic decisions about how to influence the game.

However, if you are not driving the van, you are still in the van traveling with your companions. This means that everyone is ALWAYS involved in the game and it isn't ALWAYS good to have the keys as the driver.

We suspect that most people who are looking at this will already have played the game at various play tests and parties that we have run in the development of the game. It is difficult to convey the absolute levels of tension and fun that people feel as they play the game and attempt to get that all important lot they need to complete their final set to win the game.

If you like shows like Storage Wars, Auction Hunters, Bargain Hunt or go to auctions then you will know the kind of intense involvement an auction can create. Now combine that with humour, colour and friends whilst playing an accessible game that has hidden depths and you have Vickrey - The Comic Auctions. The auction game to end all auction games.

Oh....and of course by buying the game and playing it you will find out what an actual Vickrey auction is as well.

The components of the game are as follows.

One six sided dice. One thirty second sand timer. A box of six pencils and a block of paper. One van token. One pawn. A set of rules. The board. Two decks of game cards, 84 four colour Vickrey deck of cards. 84 four colour Incident cards.

Risks and challenges

Vickrey will deliver to Kickstarter backers.

All the artwork has been completed by The Bigfoot Studio. The box. The board. The cards.

We have an award winning design team on board in Naked Marketing, EDP Small Business of the Year 2013, to conclude the final details with our manufacturing partners, Trefl.

To reduce risk and increase the chance of our supporters gaining a copy of the game we can go to print with just 1000 units. We have an agreement in place and a realistic lead-time.

We are producing the game in Europe to reduce any risks of delivery in time for the launch at the UK Game Expo where we have a stand booked.

We will support our Worldwide backers with a promise of delivery by utilising the skills of the wonderful British institution the Royal Mail. Either direct to your address or via a clearing house if we have particular demand in a country outside of the UK.

This is a genuine Kickstarter campaign. By supporting us in this fashion you will be KICKSTARTING the company with an injection of funds which means YOU get a 1st Edition of the game. We generate turnover and can then invest that back into the company to build a brand in Vickrey.

We are reducing risk as well by keeping it simple. There are NO additional levels. No increasing complexity. By getting to our target we know the game can be made and delivered to us in the UK to then get it to you.

With success the VIckrey brand can grow. Additional Vickrey decks can be designed and purchased. The game will evolve. It will be YOU who has supported US and in return we will ensure that you get a game that you. Your friends and family can relish in the game, enjoy it for years to come and you will always be able to say that you have one of the original copies of Vickrey.

The Directors of Quirkative have UK Blue Chip Company backgrounds. What this means is we have successfully dealt with many situations of high stress and challenge and achieved successful resolution for our companies, colleagues and customers. Therefore we are confident that we will be able to achieve production of the game for you.

We have thoroughly play tested Vickrey and are confident we have created an immensely enjoyable game. When you combine our own gaming experience with our proven business acumen we know we will manufacture a high quality game that people are proud to own and pleased to play.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £35 or more
About $57

Norwich Pick Up -
1st Edition copy of Vickrey with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. Pick up from 25:am at Norwich Cathedral Refectory every Wednesday between 07:00 to 09:00 OR from other Norwich locations by arrangement. We'll even deliver by hand.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £75 or more
About $123

Giant Prototype Board - Norwich Pick Up only. You will get one of three in existence vast foamex boards with an early design of the game. This will be signed and sit as testimony for all time as your support to the cause. PLUS a 1st Edition copy of Vickrey with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £125 or more
About $205

Apprentice Restorer - Your choice of name on one of two important cards in the Incident Deck. The Apprentice Restorer. PLUS a 1st Edition copy of Vickrey with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £175 or more
About $286

Master Restorer - Your choice of name on one of two important cards in the Incident Deck. The Master Restorer card. PLUS a 1st Edition copy of Vickrey with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £200 or more
About $327

Uber Geek Deal -
1st Edition copy of Vickrey with signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. Number guaranteed to be 2 to 5.
PLUS one of the original handmade prototype versions of Vickrey with a hand written letter of proof and thanks from Elliot.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £500 or more
About $818

UK Vickrey Night -
6 copies of 1st Edition Vickrey each with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity PLUS an evening of Vickrey hosted by the inventor anywhere in the mainland UK. Anywhere? Anywhere.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge £1,500 or more
About $2,455

Rich Collector Deal -
Your own original artwork created by Trystan Mitchell as The Rich Collector. Exist for ever on the game as a square and character in the game.
PLUS you have the rights to use the art yourself.
PLUS 1st Edition copy of Vickrey with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity. Game Number 1. The first off the production line.
PLUS an original handmade prototype game. You get your choice of which prototype you want from the 5 that were made.
PLUS 5 other 1st Edition copies of Vickrey each with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.
PLUS, if you want, Elliot will turn up to host a games evening anywhere in the UK.